Skyport Virgo 1 - Refuge (4 page)

Rolling onto her side, Laleh squeezed her eyes tightly shut and tried to still her thoughts. This was not the time for entertaining lustful images of a man she hardly knew.

Whatever he'd done to save her, Pike was still just a stranger.

Right?

Suddenly, Laleh wasn't so sure. How was it possible to feel so intimately connected to a person she'd known for less than a handful of hours?

*

Pike stared at the ceiling. He'd slept fitfully for the last seven hours or so. Every little noise set him on edge. He doubted Jai would be stupid enough to return. No it was Laleh's comment about deportation raids that made him nervous. If Jai really wanted Laleh returned to their homeland, all he had to do was put in a call to the right people.

They'd round her up and do the dirty work for him—and all perfectly legal.

Through the paper thin walls of the poorly constructed building came the sounds of Laleh's neighbors greeting the morning. Pike glanced toward the far window and saw only darkness through the hazy window shade. He guessed it wasn't yet five. Wiping a hand down his face, Pike tried to remember the last time he'd been surrounded by so many early risers. Not since the academy, he realized. Over the years, he'd become accustomed to the cushy lifestyle of an officer. Other than the occasional hostile encounter, Pike generally slept a solid eight hours in the comfort of his private quarters.

He shifted on the uncomfortable couch and debated whether or not to try to fall back asleep. Pike quickly decided it was futile and sat up, swinging his legs over the cushions.

He rubbed his tired eyes and ran his hand through his hair. His mind reeled. He had a meeting with the Admiralty in a few hours, but he wasn't sure about leaving Laleh alone.

And then there were his duties on base. He couldn't just abandon them because he'd happened upon a rather gorgeous damsel in distress.

Pike decided he needed a shower, coffee, and breakfast before he could even try to work out a solution. He gathered his carefully folded jacket, tee, and pants from the low table and carefully made his way around the messy living area. He made a mental note to straighten things up after his shower. Laleh would need help setting the small apartment to rights.

Pike hesitated in the open doorway to her bedroom. He'd noticed her anxious behavior when he'd started to undress earlier. Her body language told him all he needed to know. It wasn't just shyness but inexperience that made her flee. Considering the barbaric world she'd come from, he wasn't surprised. Had he been her mother, Pike would have sheltered Laleh as much as possible out of fear she'd fall prey to the sadistic whims of a man.

He took a cautious step into the room, afraid of waking or frightening her. Before moving further into the room, he allowed his eyes to adjust to the darker confines. Pike quietly crossed the room, skirting the edge of the bed on his way to the bathroom. He stepped inside and shut the door as the lights flicked on, the switch activated by his movement.

Cringing, he shielded his eyes from the harsh illumination. He'd grown accustomed to the self-adjusting lights aboard the starships he'd commanded. There was something comforting about a room that automatically adjusted to the occupants' preferences.

Of course, one couldn't expect those kinds of technological luxuries in a tenement like this one. It was painfully clear this building had been thrown up quickly and on the cheap so as to take advantage of the influx of immigrants and students flooding Houston in search of work or a first-rate education.

Pike placed his clothes on the counter and peeled out of his boxer briefs. He approached the tiny shower stall and waved his hand to activate the showerhead. Frigid water sputtered from the chrome fixture. He tried to adjust the temp, but it quickly became apparent the only available water was tepid at best. Braced for the shock of lukewarm water against his skin, Pike stepped into the alcove. He cursed under his breath, his hand flying down to shield his cock from the cold blast.

Not wanting to spend any more time than necessary under the uncomfortable spray, Pike slid his hand under the soap dispenser mounted on the wall. He worked the creamy liquid between his hands before slathering his body with the honey and almond scented suds. A quirked smile tugged at his lips. He wondered what his crew would say if they caught a whiff of their froufrou scented admiral. The ribbing would be brutal.

Pike washed his hair and rinsed off before switching off the water and turning on the overhead dryer. Surprisingly, the blast of heat he'd expected materialized. At least one thing worked well. As he spun underneath the stream of drying air, Pike got a better look at the cracked tile and flaking ceiling. He'd noticed the same rundown characteristics in the kitchen. He couldn't help but wonder how Laleh made do with such subpar conditions. All his life, he'd been lucky and had never known any true hardship. Sure, there were stretches of weeks in his earliest days in the service where he lived on the barest essentials while fighting the Scourge on the Outer Nine, but the promise of an eventual hot shower, hot meal, and a comfortable bed aboard a starship kept him going.

And yet Laleh seemed strangely happy with her life. Even after being denied a new visa and having the shit knocked out of her, she'd been oddly positive. Rather than whining about the unfairness of her plight, she'd already started making contingency plans. They weren't particularly glamorous but they would keep her alive and safe.

Maybe.

Even if she made it off Earth without alerting Immigration, Laleh risked being turned away at whatever planetary port of entry she visited first. She'd have to port jump until she found a planet willing to grant her entry. With the expiration date on her Earth-issued passport nearing, the passport control officers she'd encounter would likely suspect she meant to lodge a residency request. Pike knew enough about the various bureaucracies of the galaxy to predict they'd boot her so quickly her head would spin. Eventually, she'd be forced back to Hezma-12.

Or worse.

Pike's stomach soured at the idea of Laleh in the clutches of skin traders. Granted her fate on her home planet wouldn't be much better. The tales of General Feeshan's sex parties made Pike's skin crawl. Pike enjoyed a little kink every now and then but the things Feeshan and his ilk enjoyed went beyond BDSM and ventured into the realms of horror. There was nothing safe, sane, or consensual about their activities. It was all about domination and pain and blood and tears.

Just imagining Laleh at the hands of that dirty bastard sent Pike's blood pressure skyrocketing. But what could he do?

A small part of him insisted that this wasn't his fight. He didn't really known Laleh.

He owed her nothing. There was no reason to get involved in this mess.

And yet…

He couldn't turn his back on her. She needed him.

As he rifled through her cabinets in search of dental gel caps, Pike racked his brain.

He found a bottle and shook a couple into his palm. He tossed them back and bit down.

Nose wiggling at the bubbling sensation of the foaming cleanser, Pike rifled through his mental catalogue of contacts within the upper echelons of the Federation.

Outside of Spacefleet, Pike knew people working in various departments such as education, information dissemination, science and research, and legislation. At one time, he'd known a rather highly placed judge but she'd long since retired.

The only person of Pike's acquaintance even vaguely connected to the Office of Earthly Immigration and Naturalization was an ex-girlfriend, Melanya, who served as the Spacefleet liaison for service members who married off-worlders. Melanya might know someone who could help. She'd always been something of a bleeding heart.

If she'd found ways around the various regulations boxing in Spacefleet members, surely she'd be able to work her magic on Laleh's situation. Of course, during the last few years, most of those regulations had been softened for officers and a certain set of enlisted members as a perk of surviving the conflict on the Outer Nine. There were none of the usual hoops to jump through, nor the mounds of paperwork or wait times. Hell, Pike's old friend, Tyson, had met and married a Venusian lap dancer during a seventy-two hour leave on
Hedonisma
.

The dental foam in his mouth liquefied completely. He swished the mouthwash around and spit it in the sink. He snatched his boxer briefs from the counter, stepped into them and adjusted his package. As he thought of Tyson's marriage, he couldn't help but smile. What had started out as a seemingly ill-fated mismatch had turned out surprisingly well. There'd been a series of bumps in the beginning, but somehow, the pair had managed to work through them. They'd almost convinced Pike marriage wasn't the prison it looked like. He'd even entertained the idea of someday—

Pike's head snapped up suddenly. His heart thudded against his chest as he stared at his reflection in the lightly fogged mirror.
Are you insane?

But there was no other way. Pike could see that.

Before he could change his mind, Pike flung open the door and rushed into Laleh's bedroom. He tapped the base of the lamp on her bedside table. A dim light filled the room. He sat on the edge of her bed, his gaze traveling over the curves of her sleeping form. She'd kicked away the covers and curled her knees toward her stomach in a fetal position. The hem of her camisole had inched up to just below her breasts, baring a smooth expanse of caramel skin. Her nipples pebbled against the thin fabric, the swells of her breasts heaving above the neckline of the top with each relaxed breath.

Unable to help himself, Pike swept his fingers down her cheek. She made a kittenish noise and twitched her lips. He slowly removed his hand and placed it on her waist, the skin silken beneath his touch. With the gentlest of shakes, he attempted to wake her.

"Laleh?"

She sucked in a sharp breath and bolted upright, hands smacking wildly at him.

"Don't touch me!"

Pike recoiled, thinking she meant him, but then realized she was still in that dreamy haze of half-sleep. He cupped her face and spoke softly. "Shhh. Laleh, it's just me."

Her eyes focused on him. Immediately, she relaxed. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he assured her, his hand caressing her shoulder. "I understand why you're skittish."

She nodded and rubbed her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head but before he could speak, her eyes widened and she fled back against the headboard.

"You're naked!" Laleh clutched at the sheets, drawing them over her body.

Pike looked down, almost doubting his memory of having pulled on his boxers. "No, I'm not."

"Close enough," she retorted, her gaze glued to his face. Heat blossomed on her cheeks, coloring them with the prettiest shade of pink he'd seen in quite some time.

Pike ignored the urge to tease her. "I'm sorry, Laleh. I'll make sure I'm properly dressed next time."

"Next time?" It didn't seem possible but her blue eyes widened even further. "What do you mean next time?"

"The next time we're alone like this," Pike clarified.

She shook her head. "I don't think there will be a next time."

"I do."

Laleh gulped loudly. "What are you saying?"

Never one to dance around a difficult subject, Pike just went for it. "Marry me?"

Laleh's world tilted as she reeled in shock. She blinked rapidly as she replayed Pike's question in her mind. "Why?"

Pike snorted and laughed. "Well, that wasn't exactly the response I was expecting."

Realizing how rude she'd sounded, Laleh reached out and touched his hand. "I didn't mean it like that. I just don't understand how getting married solves my problems."

"It's the only foolproof situation, Laleh. You'll be given an immediate spouse visa because I’m a Spacefleet officer. After fourteen months, you'll get your naturalization papers."

"Fourteen months?" Laleh wondered at the feasibility of such an arrangement. "I don't know, Pike." She sighed and shook her head. "Look, I'm beyond grateful for what you did for me last night, but I don't need some white knight to ride to my rescue."

"I get that. I do, Laleh." Pike's fingers tipped her chin so he could hold her gaze. "I'm just offering you a chance to save yourself."

She mulled over his offer. The idea of marrying a man simply for immigration benefits seemed rather mercenary. Compared to her other options, namely making a run for the nearest hospitable planet and hoping for the best, at least marriage to Pike would guarantee her safety. If anyone could protect her from Jai, it was Pike.

But that brought another troubling question to mind. What, exactly, would Pike expect in return for doing this favor for her? Her gaze shifted to his naked chest. The sight of the ridged muscles and the smattering of crisp hair made her belly tighten. A tiny part of her desperately wanted to follow the line of dark hair leading down to the waistband of his boxer briefs but she held the urge at bay. Just the thought of his rippled arms wrapped around her body, his chest pressed to hers, made Laleh squirm.

Suddenly uneasy, Laleh wrung her hands in her lap. "If I accepted your proposal, what kind of marriage would this be?"

Pike sat back, his face betraying his uncertainty. Apparently, he'd not considered the full weight of his offer before he'd asked. Pike rubbed his jaw. "Well…"

Laleh realized she needed to be clearer. "Would you expect … well … you know?"

An amused smirk played on his lips. "We'll be under some scrutiny so it likely wouldn't be wise to look outside the marriage for satisfaction. And fourteen months is a long time to go without sex."

"Is it?"

Pike burst out with raucous laughter at her curious tone. "Yes, it is."

Laleh blushed. "I suppose it would be—if you're used to having sex, that is."

Pike quieted as understanding filtered across his face. Suddenly serious, he leaned forward. "Laleh, I wouldn't dare force anything between us."

Her anxiety level dropped at the genuine sincerity in his voice. She sensed he was a man of his word. "Thank you."